Groups improving health
November 27, 2023 9:46 AM Subscribe
It’s well known the NHS in the UK is struggling for capacity; it’s also well known the country as a whole has a problem with chronic diseases which is adding to the challenges our healthcare services face. I’m wondering what groups, state or otherwise, are trying to improve the nation’s health using all the known lifestyle interventions? I’m interested in groups at either the local or national level.
I can think of groups targeting specific interventions, eg you could count park run in this category, but what others exist targeting, say, nutrition or friendship. Are there any targeting all around health and lifestyle changes?
Thanks for any pointers on my research!
I can think of groups targeting specific interventions, eg you could count park run in this category, but what others exist targeting, say, nutrition or friendship. Are there any targeting all around health and lifestyle changes?
Thanks for any pointers on my research!
On the Gov side, until it was disbanded in the wake of the pandemic, this was the remit for Public Health England, which was an agency of the Department for Health. There are similar bodies for the other UK nations.
PHE had a very broad remit (and was a bit of a Frankenstein organisation, built up from many smaller predecessor orgs). One public-facing health intervention was a free Couch to 5K app which was apparently fairly successful. They also ran pro-vaccine information campaigns (pre-Covid), anti-smoking campaigns and similar. Plus a lot of work on policy, guidance and standards for health practitioners.
These days its former responsibilities are split between the UK Health Security Agency and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
posted by Ted Maul at 10:17 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
PHE had a very broad remit (and was a bit of a Frankenstein organisation, built up from many smaller predecessor orgs). One public-facing health intervention was a free Couch to 5K app which was apparently fairly successful. They also ran pro-vaccine information campaigns (pre-Covid), anti-smoking campaigns and similar. Plus a lot of work on policy, guidance and standards for health practitioners.
These days its former responsibilities are split between the UK Health Security Agency and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
posted by Ted Maul at 10:17 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Do you mean any group using any intervention, or individual groups using many interventions? I think the former will be a long list. Some which came to mind immediately - the men's shed movement in the UK, focussing on loneliness. Music for Dementia. And this research project about using music on wards for people with dementia. Lots of befriending schemes for older people - local authority-run or charity (contacted one of these recently for my father, but they have a shortage of volunteers and long waiting list). Walking for Health - again run by many orgs including the Ramblers and local authorities. Music and Art for Health and Wellbeing.
posted by paduasoy at 10:29 AM on November 27, 2023
posted by paduasoy at 10:29 AM on November 27, 2023
The Ramblers' Association runs Wellbeing Walks. These are organised by volunteers and are designed to help people with their physical and mental health by getting them walking in the open air, with other people. A friend of mine is a volunteer, and I understand from her that the volunteers are insured and receive first aid training too.
posted by essexjan at 10:44 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by essexjan at 10:44 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Wanted to link this organisation in my original comment, Music Can, but couldn't find the link at the time.
posted by paduasoy at 10:25 PM on November 27, 2023
posted by paduasoy at 10:25 PM on November 27, 2023
I have heard positive reviews of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP). The people I know did a face-to-face group programme but I see from the website there is also a digital version.
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 10:32 PM on November 27, 2023
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 10:32 PM on November 27, 2023
I've come across a this pilot scheme for mental health support that is taking a more holistic, whole-life approach and will treat people before crisis point/emergency care and even before they are eligible for a waiting list for treatment. It's had positive results, both for patients and clinicians.
posted by london explorer girl at 5:57 AM on November 28, 2023
posted by london explorer girl at 5:57 AM on November 28, 2023
So I asked someone who works for NHS England this question, here's what they said:
Basically there is no single person or group who is accountable for health in that way across all areas. Arguably PHE used to do this but they didn't really do it nor have the funding or control to do that kind of thing. There have been attempts in the past to address certain elements of health as "whole of government" including treasury, DWP, etc. but they have stranded on one of the following:
1) They end up embarrassing other departments and the government by saying things like "if we insulated more houses, we'd have fewer respiratory illnesses.
2) Despite intents they end up looking at a narrow range of considerations e.g. they say we should insulate more houses and provide loads of evidence on the benefits but their assessment of the costs and programmatic considerations are very elementary.
3) They come across as sinister attempts to force medical treatment on people on disability benefits in order to drive them back into work. Even if that might be in their interests, it still doesn't read well.
The best that exists is that the spending department may include health benefits in the wider economic benefits of their value for money model so the DfT might model health benefits from more spending on walking and cycle paths but ultimately there isn't a central clearing house for those benefits except for the the Treasury and therefore the DfT isn't going to get extra money for cycle paths on the basis of their health benefits *Except* to the extent that they can influence whole-of-government policy through the Treasury.
I would add that I'm pretty familiar with governance in The Netherlands, Germany, and France and in none of those places are these things really modelled and funded in this way either so this isn't just a UK failing. (Though of course The Netherlands has much better walking and cycling infrastructure, that isn't because IenW is funded on that basis or makes decisions for that reason)
posted by atrazine at 7:42 AM on November 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
Basically there is no single person or group who is accountable for health in that way across all areas. Arguably PHE used to do this but they didn't really do it nor have the funding or control to do that kind of thing. There have been attempts in the past to address certain elements of health as "whole of government" including treasury, DWP, etc. but they have stranded on one of the following:
1) They end up embarrassing other departments and the government by saying things like "if we insulated more houses, we'd have fewer respiratory illnesses.
2) Despite intents they end up looking at a narrow range of considerations e.g. they say we should insulate more houses and provide loads of evidence on the benefits but their assessment of the costs and programmatic considerations are very elementary.
3) They come across as sinister attempts to force medical treatment on people on disability benefits in order to drive them back into work. Even if that might be in their interests, it still doesn't read well.
The best that exists is that the spending department may include health benefits in the wider economic benefits of their value for money model so the DfT might model health benefits from more spending on walking and cycle paths but ultimately there isn't a central clearing house for those benefits except for the the Treasury and therefore the DfT isn't going to get extra money for cycle paths on the basis of their health benefits *Except* to the extent that they can influence whole-of-government policy through the Treasury.
I would add that I'm pretty familiar with governance in The Netherlands, Germany, and France and in none of those places are these things really modelled and funded in this way either so this isn't just a UK failing. (Though of course The Netherlands has much better walking and cycling infrastructure, that isn't because IenW is funded on that basis or makes decisions for that reason)
posted by atrazine at 7:42 AM on November 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by phunniemee at 9:53 AM on November 27, 2023